Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-06-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.


WASHINGTON, June 18th, 1887.
The President and his alter ego,
Col. Lamont, have returned from the
breezy lakes of the Adirondacks to
find in the Washington temperature
a reminder of winter. For two days
it has been cool enough for light
oyercoats, and the procession to the
seashore and mountains has been
temporarily halted.
Two millionaires have been prom
inent in local interest during the
week. Jay Gould made a flying,
transformations visit here on his
steam yacht, ATLANTA. The beautl-
full vessel was anchored about a
mile below the city while the mil
lionaire and his wife came ashore
and remained half day driving to
some OF the places of interest. Mr..
Gould, it is said, is in search of
health and recreation. He improved
the opportunity to visit the tomb OF
Washington at Mount Vernon, and
stood upon the bluff from which it is
said that Washington threw a silver
dollar to the Maryland shore, a full
half mile distant. The English
Chief Justice Colridge heard Of this
fabulous feat when he stood on the
same promontary three years ago,
and said he was not prepared to
dispute it, but if it were so, it was
evident that dollar would 60 father
in Washington's time than it would
now.
Mr.. Corcoran, the Washington
millionaire and philanthropist, was
stricken with paralysis last week
while seated at the dinner table
death seemed inevitable, for the
venerable good man is now in his
eighty ninth year, but his recovery
has been rapid and remarkable, and
his physician says that he hopes to
have him ready for his usual Sum-
mer sojourn at the White Sulphur
Virginia Springs, within a week.
There has been q revival of talk
in political circles, about an extra
session during the week, but the
better opinion il that the President
will not issue the call.
Mr.. Carlisle is expected here be.
fore long, and when he comes the
situation will be discussed between
him and other members who will
then be in the city, and arrange
ments will be made for more formal
conferences, and possibly for eau
Gus little later. The indications
are now that the men who wish to
take the tax off of tobacco will have
strength enough to do so, and the
only question is, whether it will be
done under an agreement or com
promise with the tariff reformers,
many of whom are among those
who want the tobacco tax removed,
or by coalition with the republi
cans. The difficulty the tobacco
men find in dealing with the latter
is that they will insist upon taking
the duty off sugar, which Mr.. Ran
dali and his followers are all oppos
ed to. If the democrats agree
among themselves, they can keep
the duty on sugar.
A vigorous effort will be made in
the coming congress to have In
auguration day changed from the
fourth of March to the 30th OF April
the day upon which Washington
was inaugurated. The proposed
celebration of the centennial of the
adoption of the constitution has al.
ready been much agitated. The
Senate at its last session passed a
resolution in its favor, and Congress
is committed to both these projects
and the celebration of the four hun.
dredth anniversary of the discovery
of America in 1892.
The infantry and artillery arms
of the service have long had en-
campments in the District, but the
cavalry branch of the service has
been kept busy on the frontier. II
is the intention of Gen. Sheridan to
station two cavalry companies here
to take part in official parades. The
recent competitive drill so much
pleased the commanding general,
that he has determined to use his
efforts to have Congress make an
appropriation for an annual drill to
be held at Washington under the
supervision of officers of the regular
army. Such drill would doubtless
be effective in promoting the eff
ficiency and esprit du corps of the
many volunteer organizations
throughout the country, and il
would doubtless keep in training an
effective and well equipped small
army that would respond promptly
in the hour of need. 1t is against
the genius of our institutions and
the policy of our government to
maintain large standing army
but as prudential measures we will
do well to keep alive the military
habit and spirit.
Brace Up.
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